CN107407128A - Actuation device for moving the covering - Google Patents

Abstract

An actuating device for moving a shade comprises a gear motor adapted to transmit a rotary motion to a tubular support and fixedly connected to the shade and rotatable with respect to a fixed support. The gear motor includes an improved adjustment of the gear motor end of travel position that is easy to use even by non-professional users.

Description

Actuation device for moving the covering

technical field

The invention relates to an actuation device for moving a covering.

It is common to use actuation devices for automatic movement of coverings such as blinds, curtains, front doors, gates, etc.

Generally, these devices include a geared motor capable of activating a motion propulsion mechanism operatively connected to the covering to be moved.

Typically, in conventional actuating devices, the geared motor is deactivated by a corresponding control unit when a predefined end-of-travel position is reached. In this way it is possible to adjust the movement of the covering as required.

Generally, the end-of-travel position of a geared motor is determined during installation of the actuating device.

In order to move and store the end-of-travel position, the installer carries out a set-up procedure by connecting a computer to the control unit, during which the geared motor is activated with a known "dead man" type of operation.

During this setting process, the control unit's measuring device (eg an encoder) stores as the end-of-travel position the number of revolutions performed by the gear motor before the barrier reaches the desired position.

Detected measurement data (indicating the expected end-of-travel position of the gear motor corresponding to a given desired position of the obstruction) is suitably stored in the control unit, which uses these data to regulate the operation of the gear motor during free activation of the gear motor .

The setup procedure described above is performed for each expected end-of-travel position of the gearmotor.

As is well known, the execution of this process is relatively time-consuming and laborious and must be performed by skilled personnel.

This is especially tedious and costly when fine-tuning the end-of-travel position of the geared motors of multiple actuating devices installed is required, as in the case where the maximum open position of multiple spool screens of a building needs to be aligned ( For example, because they are set alongside each other).

Unfortunately, these actuation devices currently available do not allow adjustment, in particular fine adjustment, of the end-of-travel position of the gear motor without carrying out the setting procedure described above.

This implies significant disadvantages, especially in the case of installing a large number of screens to be operationally managed.

This problem is aggravated from the following point of view: As is well known, in applications such as blinds, curtains or roller shutters in general, the set end-of-travel position may often be due to the settlement of the roller shutter or due to air temperature conditions (exposure) due to thermal expansion due to the sun or frost) or system wear and tear, thus making renewal essential.

A known example of an actuation device for moving a covering is described in WO20013/098108A1.

The main object of the present invention is to provide an actuation device for moving a covering which enables the above mentioned problems to be solved or alleviated.

Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide an actuation device having a relatively simple overall structure of limited size.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an actuation device that is relatively simple to install.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an actuation device for easy manufacture on an industrial scale at competitive costs.

This object and said other objects which will be more apparent hereinafter are achieved by an actuation device for moving a covering according to the definition in claim 1 set out below.

In general, the actuating device of the invention comprises a tubular support element fixedly connected to the covering and rotatable about an axis of rotation relative to the fixed support.

The actuation device of the present invention further comprises a gear motor configured to transmit rotational motion to the tubular support element and a head, the head being fixedly connected to the fixed support, wherein the tubular support element is connected to The head is operatively coupled for free rotation about the shaft.

The actuating device of the invention also comprises means for adjusting the end-of-travel position of said geared motor, said adjusting means comprising a control unit and command means, said control unit being adapted to control the operation of said geared motor and said command means capable of is manually activated and is adapted to provide a command signal to said control unit when activated.

The control unit is configured to, in response to the command signal, supply a control signal to the gear motor when the gear motor is located near or at the stroke end position, so that the gear motor performs a stroke of a predetermined angle. Turn and reach the new end-of-travel position.

Still other characteristics and advantages of the invention will be more apparent by describing in detail a preferred, non-exclusive embodiment of the actuating device according to the invention, shown by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings.

- Figures 1-3 show some exploded sectional views of parts of an actuation device according to the invention, partly in an embodiment thereof, in a schematic manner;

- Figure 4 shows in a schematic way the operation of the actuation device of Figures 1-3.

With reference to the above-mentioned figures, the invention relates to an actuation device 1 for moving a covering (not shown).

The actuating device 1 is in particular adapted to activate roller coverings, such as blinds, curtains, etc., and for the sake of simplicity it will be described with reference to this type of use.

However, this is not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

The actuating device 1 can also be used to activate different types of coverings, such as front doors or gates, etc., without major changes in construction.

The actuation device 1 comprises a tubular support element 80 fixedly connected to the covering to be activated and rotatable about an axis of rotation 90 relative to the fixed support.

In case the shutter to be activated is a roll screen, the support element 80 may advantageously consist of a roll tube, as shown in FIG. 1 .

In the case where the barrier to be activated is a gate or a main gate, the support element 80 may be constituted by a pillar supporting the latter or by other components of the automation system or by a gate.

The actuation device 1 comprises a geared motor 2 , which is preset to be rotatable about an axis of rotation and transmits a rotational movement to a tubular support element 80 .

The geared motor 2 comprises an output shaft 7 operatively coupled to a tubular support element 80 by mechanical means of known type, for example by a pulley 71 .

Preferably, the axis of rotation of the geared motor 2 , ie its output shaft 7 , coincides with the axis of rotation 90 of the tubular support element 80 .

Preferably, the geared motor 2 has a tubular structure.

Preferably, the geared motor 2 comprises a shroud housing 23 integral with a fixed support (not shown).

The gear motor 2 may be of conventional type.

Preferably, the geared motor comprises a motor 21 housed in a shroud housing 23, a mechanical reduction gear 22 operatively coupled to the poles and other necessary components (eg brake equipment) of known type.

The gear motor 2 is configured to transmit rotational motion to the tubular support element 80 .

Preferably, the geared motor 2 is arranged in a space inside the tubular support element 80 which is arranged coaxially with and outside the shroud housing 23 of this geared motor.

The actuating device 1 comprises a head 4 fixedly connected to a fixed support (not shown).

The head 4 is operatively coupled to the support element 80 such that the latter is rotatably associated therewith and substantially coaxial therewith.

For this purpose, a further pulley 81 fixedly connected to the tubular support 80 is rotatably associated with the connecting sleeve 43 of the head 4 .

The head 4 is fixedly connected to the shroud housing 23 of the geared motor thanks to connecting sleeves 43 and other mechanical means (not shown) of known type.

Preferably, the head 4 comprises a pair of profiled parts 41 , 42 coupled to each other to form an internal cavity 44 .

The profiled parts 41, 42 may be fixedly connected to each other and to the fixed support by known types of mechanical means, such as screws or brackets (not shown).

The actuation device 1 comprises a control unit 6 configured to regulate the operation of the gear motor 3 and, more generally, the operation of the actuation device 1 .

Preferably, the control unit 6 is arranged on a circuit board 61 housed in the shroud housing 23 of the geared motor and advantageously fixed to the head 4 .

In order to control the geared motor 2, the control unit 6 advantageously generates a series of control signals.

Preferably, the control unit 6 comprises at least one digital processing device, such as a microprocessor. The control unit 6 advantageously executes a series of software instructions to provide control signals preset to regulate the operation of the geared motor 2 .

The control unit 6 may also comprise other control and measurement devices or circuits necessary to regulate the operation of the actuating device 1, such as an encoder (not shown) for measuring the number of revolutions of the gear motor 3 (or its angular position)

Advantageously, the actuating device 1 , preferably at the head 4 , is operatively associated with a power supply cable 9 , which is intended to feed the control unit 6 , to the gear motor 3 and to the other electrical appliances of the actuating device 1 . components/electronics to provide power.

According to the invention, the actuating device 1 comprises adjustment means 6 , 10 of the end-of-travel position of the geared motor 2 .

Obviously, each end-of-travel position of the gear motor 2 corresponds to a given desired position of the covering moved by the gear motor.

The aforementioned adjustment means comprising the control unit 6 and the command means 10 of the actuating device 1 , which adjustment means can be activated manually by the user.

When manually activated, the command device 10 provides a command signal C1 , C2 to the control unit 6 .

In response to the command signals C1, C2, the control unit 6 provides control signals CON1, CON2 to the gear motor 2 in case the gear motor 2 is close to or at the stroke end position, so as to cause the gear motor to perform a predetermined angle of rotation to reach The new stroke end position.

An important aspect of the invention is that the control unit 6 is configured to respond to direct commands C1 , C2 from the command means 10 .

In response to the signals C1, C2, the control unit 6 automatically provides control signals CON1, CON2 to the gear motor 2 to displace said gear motor into a new end-of-travel position, thereby performing a predetermined rotational movement.

Thus, when the command means 10 is activated, the control unit 6 automatically updates the end-of-travel position of the geared motor 2, thereby turning the geared motor by a predetermined angle in order to reach the new end-of-travel position.

Thus, the adjustment means 6 , 10 enable an update of the end-of-travel position of the geared motor to be carried out without having to carry out any complex and laborious setting procedures, as is the case in known devices.

Preferably, activation of the command means 10 results in a response from the control unit 6 only if the geared motor 2 is close to or in the end-of-travel position.

Preferably, if the position of the gear motor 2 is different from the position close to or coincident with the stroke end position, the control unit 6 does not generate the control signals CON1, CON2.

In this way, it is configured so that the geared motor 2 does not react automatically to the command signals C1 , C2 generated and transmitted by accidental activation of the command device 10 when the geared motor 2 is far from the end-of-travel position.

Advantageously, the control unit 6 automatically stores data indicative of a new end-of-travel position of the geared motor 2 reached after a predetermined revolution of said geared motor, measured advantageously by means of the aforementioned encoder.

Preferably, the control unit 6 is configured such that the storage of data is regulated by a timing mechanism.

In particular, in case the control unit does not receive a further command signal C1 , C2 within a predetermined time interval, the control unit 6 stores data indicative of this new end-of-travel position.

Advantageously, in case the control unit receives a further command signal C1 , C2 before the end of the aforementioned predetermined time interval, the control unit 6 generates a further control signal CON1 , CON2 to the gear motor 2 in order to bring said gear motor to a further A new stroke end position, thereby performing another predetermined angle of rotation.

The adjustment means 6 , 10 are preferably configured to allow a fine adjustment of the end-of-travel position of the gear motor 2 to be performed.

Preferably, the control unit 6 is configured to provide control signals CON1, CON2 to the gear motor 2 in response to the command signals C1, C2, so that said gear motor performs a rotation of a predetermined angle in the interval between 0.5° and 5° (the value refers to the value used by the encoder to read the angular position of the gear motor).

Preferably, the gear motor 2 performs a rotation of a predetermined angle of 1° or 2°.

Preferably, the command means 10 comprises one or more microswitches 101, 102 which can be manually activated by a user.

Preferably, the microswitches 101 , 102 are housed in the space formed by the pair-shaped portions 41 , 42 inside the head 4 .

The microswitches 101, 102 may be of known type.

Preferably, each microswitch 101, 102 comprises a button 101A, 102A operatively associated with a base line 101B, 102B on which suitable electrical contacts (not shown) are arranged.

Preferably, the microswitches 101 , 102 are provided at the head 4 of the actuation device 1 .

Preferably, the microswitches 101 , 102 are arranged such that the respective buttons 101A, 102A protrude from the head 4 .

For this purpose, the buttons 101A, 102A are preferably housed in suitable through holes 45 obtained in the head 4 .

Preferably, the command means 10 comprises electronic means 11 , 12 electrically connected to the microswitches 101 , 102 and configured to generate command signals C1 , C2 when the microswitches 101 , 102 are manually activated.

However, in some embodiments of the invention (not shown), the microswitches 101, 102 may be directly electrically connected to the control unit 6 without the use of the electronic means 11, 12.

Preferably, the command device 10 comprises a first electronic device 11 .

Preferably, the electronic device 11 comprises one or more electrical interface circuits 115 (Fig. 4) operatively connected to the switches 101, 102, in particular to their electrical contacts.

Preferably, the electronic device 11 is arranged on a dedicated circuit board 111 , advantageously housed in the space inside the head 4 and fixed thereto.

Advantageously, the circuit board 111 also serves as a mechanical support for the microswitches 101 , 102 .

Preferably, the command device 10 comprises a second electronic device 12 operatively connected to the first electronic device 11 and to the control unit 6 .

Preferably, the electronic device 12 includes one or more control devices 125 operatively connected to the interface circuit 115 of the electronic device 11 .

Control device 125 may include at least one digital processing device (eg, microprocessor) or other dedicated control or processing circuitry.

Preferably, the electronics 12 are arranged on a dedicated circuit board 121 housed advantageously in the space formed by the shroud housing 23 inside the gear motor 2 and fixed with the synchronization 4 .

Advantageously, the circuit board 121 can house a further electronic circuit or device not included in the command device 10 but necessary for the operation of the actuating device 1 , such as a radio transmission module, one or more Wi-Fi modules, etc.

The circuit boards 111, 121 and 61 may be operatively connected to each other by connection means 122, 123 of known type.

However, in some embodiments of the present invention (not shown), the electronic devices 11 and 12 and optionally the control unit 6 may also be arranged on a dedicated circuit board.

Advantageously, the adjustment means 6 , 10 , 11 and 12 can be integrated in a box or station outside the gear motor and connected to the gear motor to command its movement.

According to the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in the preceding figures, the adjustment means 6, 10 are arranged to allow adjustment of the end-of-travel position of the gear motor 2 such that said gear motor turns in opposite directions of rotation (rotation of a predetermined angle).

Preferably, the command device 10 comprises a first and a second microswitch 101 , 102 .

Preferably, the electronic device 11 , 12 is configured to generate a first command signal C1 when the first microswitch 101 is manually activated.

Preferably, the electronic device 11 , 12 is configured to generate the first command signal C2 when the first microswitch 102 is manually activated.

Preferably, the control unit 6 is configured to provide the first control signal CON1 to the gear motor 2 in response to the command signal C1 when the gear motor 2 is close to or at the stroke end position, so as to make the gear motor 2 execute in the first direction D1 Rotation of a predetermined angle.

The first direction D1 of rotation of the gear motor 2 may eg correspond to a rolling or opening movement of the covering.

Preferably, the control unit 6 is configured to provide a second control signal CON2 to the gear motor 2 in response to the command signal C2 when the gear motor 2 is close to or at the stroke end position, so as to make the gear motor perform in the second direction D2 For a predetermined angle of rotation, the second direction D2 is opposite to the first direction D1.

The second direction D2 of rotation of the gear motor 2 may eg correspond to a rolling down or closing movement of the covering.

Preferably, the electronic device 10 comprises a visual signaling means 15 configured to provide a visual signal indicative of activation of the microswitches 101, 102.

Preferably, the visual signaling means 15 comprises at least one LED device and one or more electronic driver circuits.

Preferably, the visual signaling means 15 is arranged at the head 4 of the actuating device 1 .

Preferably, the LED device 15 is housed in a suitable through-hole 150 obtained in the head 4 .

Preferably, the visual signaling device 15 is accommodated on the circuit board 111 described above.

In practice, it has been seen that the actuating device 1 according to the invention enables the pre-set goals and objectives to be achieved.

Due to the actuating means 6 , 10 in the device 1 , it is possible to adjust, in particular to fine-tune, the end-of-travel position of the geared motor 2 without carrying out the complex setting procedure described above.

In order to perform this adjustment, the user must activate it normally with gear motor 2 at or near the end-of-travel position to be updated.

At this point, the user must press the micro-switch 101 or micro-switch 102 to make the gear motor 2 automatically move to a new end-of-travel position (corresponding to the translational or angular displacement of the barrier to be moved) through a predetermined angle of rotation.

If the new end-of-travel position (corresponding to the given obstruction position) is the desired position, no further action is required by the user. The control unit 6 will automatically store this new end-of-travel position after a predetermined time interval.

If the new end-of-travel position is still not the desired position, the user must press the micro-switch 101 or micro-switch 102 again to shift the gear motor 2 to yet another end-of-travel position.

Clearly, the operation cycle described above can be executed multiple times until the desired end-of-travel position is reached.

From the above, it is evident that the adjustment of the end-of-travel position can be performed in a simple and heuristic manner with considerable operational flexibility.

For example, adjustments can be performed incrementally, activating the same microswitch 101 or 102 multiple times, or activating microswitch 101 or microswitch 102 on demand in a more complex manner.

The actuating device 1 is characterized by being extremely easy to use and practical even for non-specialists.

The actuation device 1 has a relatively simple structure, advantageously of the tubular type, wherein advantageously the head 4 , the control unit 6 , the geared motor 2 and the command means 10 are housed at least partially in an internal volume constituted by a support tube 80 Thus, it has relatively small size and is easy to install.

The actuating device 1 has a substantially modular structure, is relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture and to assemble on an industrial scale.

Based on the description provided, other characteristics, modifications or improvements are possible and obvious to a person skilled in the art. These features, modifications and improvements are therefore to be considered part of the present invention. In practice, the materials used, the dimensions and possible shapes can be determined as desired and according to the conditions of the art.

Claims (11)

1. An actuation device (1) for moving a covering comprising: a tubular support element (80), said tubular support element (80) being fixedly connected to said covering and rotatable about a rotation axis (90) relative to the fixed support; a gear motor (2) configured to transmit rotational motion to the tubular support element; a head (4) fixedly connected to said fixed support, said tubular support element (80) being operatively coupled to said head so as to be freely rotatable about said axis of rotation; The adjustment device (6, 10) of the stroke end position of the gear motor; It is characterized in that said adjusting means comprise a control unit (6) adapted to control the operation of said geared motor and command means (10), said command means being able to be manually activated and adapted to when activated A command signal (C1, C2) is provided to the control unit, the control unit being configured to respond to the command signal when the geared motor is in the vicinity of or at a given end-of-travel position to The gear motor provides control signals (CON1, CON2) to make the gear motor perform a predetermined angle of rotation and reach a new stroke end position. 2. An actuating device according to claim 1, characterized in that the control unit (6) is configured to store an indication that the gear motor The data of the new trip end position. 3. The actuating device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said command means (10) comprise: at least one microswitch (101, 102) capable of being manually activated; An electronic device (11, 12) configured to generate said command signal (C1, C2) when said at least one microswitch is manually activated. 4. The actuating device according to claim 3, characterized in that the command device (10) comprises a first micro switch (101) and a second micro switch (102), the electronic device (11, 12) configured to generate a first command signal (C1) when said first microswitch is manually activated, said electronic device (11, 12) configured to generate a second command signal (C1) when said second microswitch is manually activated C2). 5. The actuation device according to claim 4, characterized in that the control unit (6) is configured to provide a first control signal (CON1) to the geared motor in response to the first command signal (C1) ), so that the geared motor performs a predetermined angle of rotation in a first direction (D1), and is configured to provide a second control signal (CON2) to the geared motor in response to the second command signal (C2), to cause the gear motor to perform a predetermined angle of rotation in a second direction (D2), which is opposite to the first direction. 6. Actuating device according to one or more of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that said electronic means comprise a first electronic device operatively connected to said at least one microswitch (101, 102). A device (11), said first electronic device comprising at least one interface circuit (115) operatively associated to said at least one microswitch. 7. The actuation device according to claim 6, characterized in that said electronic device comprises a second electronic device (12) operatively connected to said first electronic device (11), said second electronic device The apparatus comprises at least one control means (125) operatively associated to said at least one interface circuit (115). 8. The actuating device according to claim 3, characterized in that said at least one microswitch (101, 102) is provided at said head (4) of said actuating device. 9. The actuating device according to claim 8, characterized in that said at least one microswitch (101, 102) is arranged such that a button (101A, 102A) of said at least one microswitch is removed from said head ( 4) Prominent. 10. The actuating device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said geared motor (2) performs a predetermined angle of rotation comprised between 0.5° and 5°. 11. Actuation device according to claim 10, characterized in that the geared motor (2) performs a rotation of a predetermined angle of 1° or 2°.